Thousands of supporters filled the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez stadium in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to mourn the death of Jesus De Miguel, the forward who tragically passed away following a mid-match collision earlier this week. The somber memorial ceremony saw teammates return to the pitch dressed in black, standing beneath a poignant banner reading “Eterno Demi 9,” a tribute to the player’s nickname and jersey number. A bouquet of flowers marked the spot on the pitch where Jesus De Miguel fell five days earlier. Above them hung a banner that read “Eterno Demi 9” – Demi 9 forever – a reference to the number nine’s nickname. “It’s still hard to believe that this has happened to us, Demi, you’ll always be one of us. Floral offerings, pre-match silence and pauses from the ninth minute, honouring De Miguel’s shirt number, the governing bodies organised commemorative shirts.
As the club’s centenary anthem echoed through the ground, supporters who once cheered for his goals joined in a collective, wailing farewell. Silence gave way to applause before the club’s centenary anthem was played. When his car broke down, he walked home without asking for help, he recalled a teammate so reluctant to inconvenience others that.
Captain Enric Gallego led the tributes, his voice trembling as he addressed the player’s family.
Struggling to maintain his composure, Gallego remarked, “To speak of you in the past tense is tremendously unfair.
He promised the grieving family, including De Miguel’s 18-month-old daughter, Carla, that the club would ensure the child understands her father’s legacy and impact on those around him. On Saturday, it was a wail to bid him goodbye.
In a tangible show of support, the club has pledged financial assistance to aid Carla until she reaches the age of 18.
The atmosphere of grief transcended local rivalries, evidenced when members of the Ultra Naciente supporters’ group from UD Las Palmas laid a wreath on the field. Jose Diaz Muros, who leads a Tenerife supporters’ association, described the profound personal loss felt by the fanbase. He noted that players often become integral parts of a family’s weekly life, making such tragedies feel deeply personal even for those who did not know the athlete individually. Sister, wife and daughter – a family coping with its loss publicly, but alongside thousands who had gathered to share their grief, thundering applause greeted De Miguel’s parents.
The tragedy occurred following an on-field collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a second-division match on Monday. While the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee is currently reviewing the incident, with reports suggesting a potential suspension for Owono of up to 12 matches, local authorities have signaled that criminal proceedings are unlikely. Chief prosecutor Jose Luis Sanchez-Jauregui explained to news agency EFE that the incident is viewed as a consequence of sport rather than deliberate aggression.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, the incident has intensified scrutiny regarding how Spanish football authorities manage grief and player welfare. The players’ union, AFE, sought a league-wide postponement of matches, citing that many footballers felt emotionally unfit to compete. Despite this unanimous sentiment expressed by players across various categories, the federation’s competition judge ruled that the decision rested with La Liga, which proceeded with most fixtures. While some matches, including those involving the women’s team Costa Adeje Tenerife, were rescheduled, a full cessation of play was denied. “We cannot demonstrate that money was the only reason for the decision.
Football expert Albert Ortega noted that the response highlighted a gap between institutional gestures—such as minutes of silence and memorial shirts—and the practical needs of the athletes. Ortega argued that while these tributes show respect, they did not fully address the union’s collective request. He emphasized that the football industry must prioritize transparency regarding the criteria for such decisions, ensuring that player psychological wellbeing carries more weight than commercial scheduling pressures. “Minutes of silence are important, but so is giving people space to grieve.”. Ortega believes that players’ emotional wellbeing still has less power to alter the calendar than institutional statements suggest. But he cautioned against assuming commercial interests alone explained the decision. We can demand transparency about the criteria and the weight given to their views.”.
Safety protocols at lower-division venues have also come under critical review. Recalling the death of Colindres goalkeeper Raul Ramirez in a fifth-division match last September, critics pointed out that the facility where that tragedy occurred lacked an onsite doctor or ambulance, relying only on a defibrillator. AFE president David Aganzo has renewed demands for mandatory medical professionals and ambulance services across all national tiers.
Experts like Ortega are now calling for a comprehensive overhaul of safety procedures, including independent stadium audits, regular emergency response drills, and clearly defined bereavement protocols. He stressed that a written protocol is only as effective as the coordination of those tasked with its implementation, urging authorities to ensure that psychological support remains available long after the initial week of mourning. In Tenerife, questions were also raised at the resumption of action while an investigation into the collision and emergency response, including treatment and evacuation, were ongoing. Protection also requires a bereavement procedure agreed with players, according to Ortega.
